We frequently make the mistake of attempting to improve our society without first improving ourselves.
Most of the time, we put forth our best effort to please others while overlooking the importance of improving ourselves. Many people live and act solely to meet the demands of others. However, this is risky because it can cause a loss of self-awareness and vision.
IMPROVE YOUR SENSE OF WORTH
“But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows” – Luke 12:7.
Isn’t it lovely that in the preceding passage, Jesus revealed to us how much God values us more than even the animals he created? God loves you so much that he came and died for us in order for us to be saved, live, and bask in his glory. Have you ever considered how highly God regards you? He knows that without you, establishing his Kingdom on Earth will be impossible, and he even knows the number of hairs on your head. Isn’t that fantastic? Never think of yourself as a disappointment or a failure. Things may not go as planned, but remember everything works together for those who love the Lord.
So, how do you develop values that will transform your life?
Self Evaluation
‘An unexamined life is not worth living,’ said Aristotle. To live at the pinnacle of our faith, we must cultivate a culture of evaluating and accessing our paths. It holds you accountable to yourself. It is only through self-evaluation that one can identify the Christian values that are lacking in his life and resolve to cultivate them.
2.Renew your mind with the Word of God
God desires that you meditate on the scriptures day and night because when you meditate on them, you will begin to exhibit Godly values that will result in a Christ-like lifestyle. The revelation from God’s word that you have pondered is what gives you godly value.
“How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.” Psalm 119:9.
Until believers make the word of God their priority, godly values and character will be absent amongst us. The book of James describes God’s word as a mirror which we behold in order to know who God has made us to be. When a lying Christian reads God’s word diligently, He sees that as a Saint, he isn’t supposed to lie and he adopts the value of honesty and truthfulness. When a homosexual reads God’s word and sees that homosexuality is immoral, he renounces it and adopts God’s principles of holiness.
God’s word renews our mind and our thinking. When our thinking is renewed, our actions will be renewed. And when we continue living with these renewed actions, they become habits and eventually morph into a part of our being – our character.
“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” – Matthew 12:24
Have you ever wondered why monks and sages are so wise? I have too. What makes them so wise? Don’t they have the same brain and eyes that we have? They do.
What makes monks, sages and wealthy men wise is a heart matter. Wisdom is not a mental condition, it is a heart condition. It is a state of the heart.
Wisdom can be received and enhanced in the heart. Thus we can describe the heart as the storage tank of wisdom. It stores up wisdom and insight for excellent living.
This is why Jesus spoke of ‘the abundance of the heart’. Even as the heart can store up wisdom, it can also store folly, or it can be empty and void of wisdom. It all depends on how much development you give to it.
Here are two ways to enhance inner wisdom;
1. Get connected with God.
God in us – The Holy Spirit is our source of wisdom. Any believer who is rooted in God will never run out of practical wisdom for daily living. Building a strong connection with God requires prayer, meditation, fasting etc. Find out more here.
Acknowledge God
Proverbs 3:6: “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (KJV)
Here’s what Matthew Henry says about this verse:
“…. We must not only in our judgment believe that there is an over-ruling hand of God ordering and disposing of us and all our affairs, but we must solemnly own it, and address ourselves to him accordingly. We must ask his leave, and not design anything but what we are sure is lawful. We must ask his advice and beg direction from him, not only when the case is difficult… but in every case, be it ever so plain, we must ask success of him, as those who know the race is not to the swift.
We must refer ourselves to him as one from whom our judgment proceeds, and patiently, and with a holy indifference, wait his award. In all our ways that prove direct, and fair, and pleasant, in which we gain our point to our satisfaction, we must acknowledge God with thankfulness. In all our ways that prove cross and uncomfortable, and that are hedged up with thorns, we must acknowledge God with submission.”
Although there are men with natural wisdom, a look at world history reveals that it takes more than natural wisdom to survive in this world. Furthermore, no matter how smart you are, you will never know what the person next to you is thinking. You can never see into the future, no matter how clever you are; you can never predict the next war, bomb blast, tension, etc.
C. Bridges explains this better,
‘Take one step at a time, every step under divine warrant and direction. Ever plan for yourself in simple dependence on God. It is nothing less than self-idolatry to conceive that we can carry on even the ordinary matters of the day without His counsel. He loves to be consulted. Therefore, take all thy difficulties to be resolved by Him. Be in the habit of going to Him in the first piece- before self-will… self-wisdom, human friends, convenience (and) expediency. Before any of these have been consulted, go to God at once!’
Here’s an exercise for this;
Consider a decision you must make soon. It could be a job, an admission, a course selection, a spouse, or something else. Remove your emotions and preferences from the decision and speak to God – who dwells in your heart. Ask Him to guide you in making the right decision. You can even ask Him for a sign, as Gideon did, and if your heart is sincere, God may work a sign to lead you. But the most important thing is that you acknowledge God before taking any action.
Read your Bible
The Bible is God’s letter to man; it is God’s eternal counsel written down. God is very interested in the Bible because it is His very own work, and how much attention we as His children pay to it. I remember writing my first story and giving it to a close friend to read. I sat there watching him read it with bated breath until he was finished. I did this because it was my book, and it made me very happy to see someone else reading what I had written. Similarly, God loves it when we pay attention to His word.
His word contains life-changing wisdom. We see deep mysteries hidden for us in the life stories of David, Abraham, and others, as well as the proverbs of Solomon, the psalms of David, the teachings of Jesus, and the doctrines of the Apostles.
Therefore, let us give attention to the reading of God’s word for our own profiting.
Read it.
Meditate on it.
Study it.
Pray with it
Practice it
Keep reading it
What if I can’t understand what is written in it?
1 Corinthians 2:9-11: “…Things never discovered or heard of before, things beyond our ability to imagine– these are the many things God has in store forthem that love Him.
10 But God now unveils these profound realities to us by the Spirit.[c] Yes, he has revealed to us his inmost heart and deepest mysteries through the Holy Spirit, who constantly explores all things.
11 After all, who can really see into a person’s heart and know his hidden impulses except for that person’s spirit? So it is with God. His thoughts and secrets are only fully understood by his Spirit, the Spirit of God.”
The Bible can never be fully comprehended by the human intellect; it requires the revelation of the Holy Spirit to fully comprehend the wisdom hidden in God’s word. As a result, before reading the Bible, we must pray to the Lord for understanding and insight into His word.
Read the Bible with an open heart in order to receive instruction from the Holy Spirit; as if God is speaking to you through it, read it. Don’t just skim through it. The butterfly can only get nectar from its flower by sucking it; similarly, we can only gain insight from God’s word by studying it meditatively.
2. INQUISITIVENESS
Wisdom is acquired through a combination of inquisitiveness for information and a desire to learn. This quality is common among the world’s renowned scientists and researchers. It is a heart matter and goes beyond being a mere over-thinker or curious person.
Inquisitiveness is the desire to learn, to know more about people, things. It is founded from the habit of observation. If you want to fill your heart with wisdom, observe and ask questions. Ask vital questions to yourself, God, elders around you and even to nature.
A wise man once said, “He who knows how to ask, will never get lost”. If you develop this inquisitive quality and you live by it, by the time you’re old your mind will be an accumulation of years of wisdom and answers to life’s toughest questions.
Here’s a practical for you;
Get a book and tag it ‘Wisdom Book’.
Write down the pivotal questions in your life that you need answers to.
Go to the Bible or get lessons from trusted counselors on those questions and write them down in your wisdom book.
Have a ‘learning goal’ each day. This goal should be the things you want to learn for that day. At the end of the day, write down the things you’ve learnt in your ‘Wisdom Book’.
Be observant and write down occurrences with significant meaning in your life.
BE CONSISTENT
Again, this must be done continuously in order to see the desired results.
Were you blessed by this post? We’ll love to hear from you in the comment section.
The Esther Generation is a community of women who have offered themselves on the altar of sacrifice to God to bring God’s reason and advice to a generation and those save those who are under the slavery of the devil into complete freedom by subscribing to the path of the kingdom Esther lived a life of selflessness, loyalty, submission, divine intervention, and favor.
Despite her unfavorable circumstances, she remained a virtuous lady. Because Esther followed Hegi the Keeper’s instructions, she was given the best place to stay and everything she needed to be crowned queen.
Esther is a role model for Christian women to follow. Here are ten major life lessons we can take from her life:
1. A woman’s beauty lies not in her possessions, but in the virtues and values, she has cultivated. There were more beautiful women in the pageantry to choose the king’s wife, but Esther’s obedience to Hegi, coupled with God’s favor, made her the chosen one.
2. Every successful person has a destiny-helper. A destiny-helper is someone sent by God to guide and assist you in reaching your destiny and fulfilling your purpose. Mordecai was Esther’s destiny-helper. He remained her counselor even when she became queen. Have you identified your destiny-helper? Are you giving honouring him/her?
3. The level of honor you give determines the extent of God’s favor in your life.
4. Even in times of crisis, it is critical to seek God’s face rather than rely on our political/financial positions.
5. To lead God’s people, a sacrifice-minded heart is required. Esther was a very selfless woman. She fasted for three days in order to secure God’s favor for her people. She put her life in danger to ensure the safety of her people. Let us be like Esther and be willing to give up our possessions for the sake of our fellow believers.
6. Esther was a woman of great faith; only women of faith can make a difference in a generation.
7. Esther was a woman of wisdom; she was not in a hurry to kill her enemies, and she waited until the right time before speaking against Haman. Proverbs 13:3 says, “The one who guards his mouth preserves his life“; Esther preserved both her life and the lives of the Jews by her temperance.
8. Esther was highly favoured by God and man because she was submissive to her mentor Mordecai.
9. Esther was a problem solver and solution provider for the Jews, and she was adept at guiding them in the right direction. Only people who solve problems are celebrated. The world is in need of people who will solve their problems and not create new ones for them.
10. Esthers are God’s help system in ridding the church of the evil that wasproposed in men’s hearts.
These are some of the things we should learn from the life of Esther.
We have numerous definitions for prayer. Whatever the case may be, God requires us to be more devoted than at any other time in recent memory. We pray to know the Will of God. We pray to know how to carry out the will of God.
We also pray to surrender ourselves to the desires of the kingdom for us. There are several definitions of prayer. Some see it as petitioning, while others see it as communing with God, and so on.. Prayer is what the Church really needs at this point.
When God’s move begins, it begins with His children’s prayers. This intercession ensures that God’s work is carried out precisely and without interference from the forces of darkness. Why do we have to pray? This is because we can only gain insight and understanding into what God is going to do through prayer.
According to Colossians 2:3, “all treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ,” and it is through prayer that these treasures are revealed to us.
THE HEART MATTERS
This is a photograph of possessive
James 4:3 (New International Version)
“When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”
Any prayer prayed for the wrong reasons will be rendered ineffective. Prayer is a sacred duty that must be carried out with the purest of intentions. In the Church, selfishness is the slayer of prayer. It causes God to stifle the much-needed answer.
Prayer for the sake of one’s own selfish interests is a waste of time. According to Proverbs 21, God weighs a man’s heart. He weighs His saints’ hearts; He measures the quality of prayer by the quality of the heart rather than the quantity of words.
If a saint’s motives are not pure, he may say thousands of words before God and leave empty-handed; however, another saint may speak only a few words and leave with the Grace he seeks as a result of pure motives.
Proverbs 15:11: “Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the Lord, How much more the hearts of men!”
We deceive ourselves when we believe God is unaware of the true reason for some of our petitions. God sees our hearts; He hears our thoughts as well as our words. Therefore, before we pray, we must examine our hearts and ensure that our motives are pure. In our prayer, there must be no trace of self or carnality.
FOR HIS GLORY
When we pray, whether in public or privately, the only thing that matters is that God receives the glory. In the place of prayer, His glory and will must be at the center of our desires. In the Kingdom, we are only rewarded for actions that bring glory to God.
HIS BATTLE-AXE
The pure saint must see himself as a battle-axe in the master’s hands, or as a pencil in the creator’s hands. When he prays or fasts, he must remember that it is God who is doing the work through him.
Conclusively, ministers, intercessors, and all members of the Body must keep this in mind. We must not allow the spirit of competition to infiltrate our organization. We must be wary of praying for the sake of showing off.
A long time ago, two children ran to meet me to ask for candies. I happily gave each a dollar to purchase chocolates from the grocery store.
They both went to purchase it, but only one of them returned to thank me for it. I was so moved by the gratitude of the grateful little child that I gave her an extra dollar.
This incidence taught me that if humans could be moved by gratitude from whoever they help, what about God.
I found my answer in Luke 17:14-15;
“And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God” Luke 17:14-15.
In the aforementioned text, Jesus was speaking to ten lepers who were in need of healing. He sent them to the priests, miraculously, the ten lepers got healed of leprosy even before they got to the priest.
But of the ten, only one returned to give thanks to Jesus.
From this passage, we learn that,
– Gratitude is recognition and acknowledgement of what God has done.
Only one leper realized he was healed and he recognized the Christ was the source of the healing. A grateful Saint will always attribute his blessings to the hand of God and not the work of luck.
Only ungrateful believers see the mercies of God upon their lives as sheer luck or fortune; the grateful ones always attribute it to God and they give Him the thanks deserving of it.
Thus, we learn that as believers we must be mindful to attribute both the little and big blessings we see in our lives to the Grace of God.
The Saint who has developed the habit of thanking God for even the common miracles such as breathing, seeing, comprehending etc, is a grateful Saint.
An ungrateful heart does not recognize and acknowledge what God has done. Jesus loves those who are always grateful.
Furthermore, in the account of the ten lepers, I observed that they were all healed, yet none had total wholeness other than the one who came to give thanks to Jesus. Don’t be like those who are waiting until God something gigantic before they acknowledge His grace and mercy.
Besides, gratitude perfects the working of God in our lives. It is a proof of faith. The proof of your faith in God is ability to give him thanks even though you feel he is not working.
GRATITUDE GIVES US INCOMPREHENSIBLE PEACE
Philippians 4:6 “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.”
Philippians 4:7 “If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
The Bible tells us that praise and giving of thanks must go hand-in-hand. Prayer is asking for something to be done, while gratitude is appreciating God for that which He has done.
Paul tells us in Philippians that when we do this, the peace of God that passes all understanding shall be released into our hearts.
This peace is the assurance of God’s help even in times of difficulty. A Saint who knows how to show gratitude never lack this peace. Therefore, in a world of turmoil and confusion, let us endeavor to constantly glorify the name of our God; this will solidify in our souls the inner assurance that we shall be saved from all evil.
GRATITUDE STRENGTHENS FAITH
Giving thanks in the midst of turmoil is one of the most difficult duties of a Saint – yet, it is the highest expression of faith. In Psalm 34:3, we see that praise magnifies God. This doesn’t mean it makes God bigger or stronger; rather, praise and giving of thanks makes God more real in our troubles.
Every time we give thanks to God, we make more visible in our lives. When God is seen, faith is strengthened; therefore, let us endeavor to live a life of gratitude and thanksgiving so that our faith will stand strong in the midst of turmoils.
GRATITUDE IMPROVES OUR MENTAL WELL-BEING
One who pays more attention to the negative occurrences than to the miracles of God in his life will certainly wallow in sadness and depression; whereas a saint who knows how to appreciate God for the daily miracles will always be happy. The habit of giving thanks to God in all situations inspires one’s soul.
Thus, give thanks when you wake up in the morning; give thanks for the food you eat; give thanks for your breath; give thanks for your family. Dear saint, live a life of gratitude and surely, you will experience an overflow of divine peace.
Even in turmoil?
Yes. We are to live a life of gratitude to God even in turmoil because we believe that someday it will be over. When we are persecuted, we give thanks for the privilege to be identified and scorned at as children of God. When we are in lack, we express gratitude that though there may be no food to eat, yet our soul is nourished with the graces of God daily.
This is the life of the children of God, folks, and we are to live it to its fullness!
This is a hard-hitting question that many seem to ignore. In a busy world like this, the first thing that comes to the mind of many the moment they’re awake is preparing for business, taking care of the kids or checking for updates on their social media page. This explains the reason why many believers complain of having a terrible day, and live life in emotional stress.
Fortunately, as soon as you’re doing reading this, the stress and depression syndrome will end.
START YOUR DAY IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD
There’s no greater way to begin the day than to begin it in God’s presence. Spending time worshiping and praying in the morning has a lot of impact on our inner stability throughout the day. This is the reason why even the Saints of the Bible days were known for early morning devotion.
Jesus prayed in the morning {Mark 1:35}. David prayed in the morning as well. Here are some incredible benefits gained in habitual morning devotional life.
1. It is a sign of gratitude: Psalm 3:5: “I lie down and sleep; I wake again because the LORD sustains me.” (HCSB) Having fellowship with God as your first activity in the morning, expresses your thankfulness for His preserving power. It shows you acknowledge Him as the one who sustained you and your family throughout the night.
Psalm 91:5 talks of the ‘arrow that flies at night’; these are spiritual attacks sent from the enemy’s gathering while we sleep to harm us or our families. The fact that in spite of arrows sent by the enemy we wake up hale and hearty shows that it is God who preserves us. Thus, as grateful saints, we must express our gratitude to the creator and life-preserver of the universe.
2. We seek and receive the guidance of God for the day: Though natural wisdom demands one makes logical, sequential and organized plans for one’s day, the truth remains that life is very unpredictable. Anything can come up during the day – a tough decision to make, a temptation very hard to resist, an accident or unexpected incident etc; spending time praying in God’s presence equips us for these things. The Holy Spirit can forewarn us of certain dangers in the day if we’d spend time in His presence. Through praying in the spirit, we can even be inspired to pray against certain traps which the enemy has set for us as we go on our daily endeavors.
3. It helps build a strong spirit: The reason people wish the day would never break is that they lack the fortitude and enthusiastic strength to face the day and its challenges. Praying and meditating on God’s word in the morning has the same effect on our spirit as charging your phone has on its battery. When you pray in the morning, your spirit is charged up and strengthened to be able to bear all that the day will bring.
A Christian with a strong spirit will always experience inner stability. Such Christian can fight even the toughest of battles and stay joyful; because he derives his joy from his fortified spirit. If you want to have a mature spirit, have devotional time with God every morning. A Christian, who keeps spending time only on his secular engagements without spending time with God, will wear out terribly.
Isaiah 40:31: “But those who wait upon GOD get fresh strength.” (MSG) We receive strength when we dwell in God’s presence.
4. We experience the peace of God:
Meditating on God’s word eases our stress levels and calms our soul. The Bible says that when we pray, ‘the peace of God that passes all understanding will flood our soul; this divine peace is the supreme antidepressant.
It is the antidote for high blood pressure, the cure for migraine and the klopin for stress. It is a conviction of God’s faithfulness that settles all the doubts in our minds.
Meditating on God’s word puts our soul at rest. The Psalms are full of inspiring verses for meditation; feed on them every morning – you will find peace and incomprehensible tranquility in them.
5. Inspiration:
Job 32:8: “But [there is] a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.” (KJV)
Inspiration is an inner stimulation to do something creative. It is a feeling of enthusiasm which prompts creative ideas and innovation. Inspiration is what gives us reason to keep succeeding. In spite of the lockdown, pandemic and economic crisis, if believers can stay inspired, there’s no limit to what they can achieve.
But we won’t be able to receive inspiration for creative living if we are too busy to have a devotional time with God. Inspiration is best received in solitude – when we spend time in God’s divine presence. Spending the morning in God’s presence inspires our hope and creativity for the whole day.
We hope you have been blessed by this post. We want to hear from you; do drop a like and comment for us. God bless you. Stay safe!
Your mind is the mirror of who you are. What you don’t think about yourself you can’t become. Your mind is like a soil anything you put in it will surely germinate.
We must be careful of what we hear, what we watch and who we listen to, this period – as all these can either limit or expand your mind.
The mistake many make is that they invest more in the quality of their dressing than in the quality of their thinking.
If believers invested in the quality of their minds as much as they invested in their fashion and physique, they’d be unstoppable.
– Nwodo Divine
Quality living is not based on the quantity of things acquired, quality living is built on the quality of knowledge you have invested in yourself.
Your mind needs information to be active just like you need to eat to remain alive. You must feed your mind daily to defeat ignorance.
What you see about yourself in your mind can only come into fulfilment if you have an accurate knowledge.
Some of us are limited in our minds because of the kind of environment and background we grew in. But do you know you can break Such limitations?
Your mind is important to God because he releases ideas, imagination and pictures to help you discover His purpose for your life.
“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” Isaiah 26:3
How to break Limitations off your Mind
1.The Knowledge of God
The knowledge of God is illuminating; it is enlightening. The mind that has been fed with the knowledge of God will remain creative and fruitful.
It is through the knowledge of God that our minds can able to receive the pictures and ideas that God is showing us.
“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;” – Heb. 10:16.
The above mentioned passage gives us an insight how God uses the human mind as a platform to transform humanity into His likeness.
Our mind can only be enlightened if we pursue the knowledge of God.
Meditation is the art of visualising God’s word.
– Nwodo Divine
2. Prayer and Meditation 🧘♂️
Meditating on the scripture is what produces a picture for your future. Until the saint meditates on the scriptures lines upon lines, precept upon precept, the saint will never be able to fully experience the reality of God’s promises.
If we must profit from the scriptures we must meditate and give ourselves totally to things of the spirit.
“Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.” – 1 Timothy 4:15.
Reading Quality Books 📚
A robust, mental and spiritual life is needed for a successful life. Reading is a lifestyle to anyone who wants to remain relevant in God.
“And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein;” – Ezekiel 2:9.
Read books that will add value to your life. Books that will build your knowledge bank.
When we read books we begin living from the place the books stop. Books are powerful and you must give them priority because people will only look for you based on the relevant information you have in you.
When you begin to apply the information you have gotten, your value increases and your knowledge expands.
Have a Mentor 👨🏫
Mentorship delivers you from your own destruction. Knowledge with guidance from a mentor will produce wisdom.
There are people who had knowledge of so many things, but they lacked guidance, they made several mistakes.
One of the way to break limitations off your mind is to follow a mentor who has knowledge and valuable experience.
If we must break limitations of our mind we must start using the resources God has given to us to free ourselves.
God bless you.
This article was written by Green-Hills Emmanuel Amarayahweh
Diligence to the service of the kingdom is necessary for anyone who wants to win the heart of God. A diligent person is someone who patient, persevering, and steady. He is one who is absolutely devoted to the work of the Kingdom.
The diligent saint need not be a preacher to be an effective kingdom worker. He might not be into the pastoral ministry 24/7 like the pastor, but he incorporates the preaching of the Gospel into his engagements.
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:20.
It is unfortunate that in modern day Christianity, we find believers who want to enjoy the benefits of the kingdom without seeking the kingdom with their heart. The Kingdom we belong to operates with a reward-based system. In His teaching on the principles of the Kingdom, Jesus repeatedly explained that only those who are faithful to the tasks God has assigned to me them that will enjoy the bountiful benefits of the kingdom.
DILIGENT DAVID
One of the secrets to David’s success was his diligence to the cause of God. He was diligent both in his service to his father, his service to Saul and to the Israelites.
David was so diligent in His service to God, that even when he became king, he didn’t stop thinking about what to do for God. Amidst the tranquility and glory of the palace, David’s heart was restless because God did not have a Temple.
Folks, desiring to be great in the kingdom is not enough – the path to greatness is beyond mere desire. There must be an inner drive that pushes you to unquestionable diligence in God’s work.
Only lazy people desire blessings they didn’t work for. Only the slothful does nothing and expect rewards.
God’s blessing is tied to diligence. We will never fulfill the fullness of God’s plan for us if we are always lazy towards the interests of God. It is only a diligent man that will do business with kings. In the business of the kingdom, God wants us to reach the level where we can speak to kings and deliver God’s counsel to rulers of nations.
Daniel was diligent in the things of God and because of diligence, he became excellent and industrious that even kings couldn’t resist his wisdom.
BENEFITS OF DILIGENCE
God prospers the diligent:
Proverbs 13:4: “Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper.” Lazy saints desire the promises of the gospel, but they get only the crumbs of providence because they are unwilling to work for it. But the devoted saints will always find miracles of divine provision in their lives; because a saint who works for the kingdom, is a saint who has his name enlisted in heaven’s payroll.
2. God promotes the diligent
“Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.” Proverbs 22:29. God has always promoted saints who were unique and exemplary in their service to the Kingdom. The likes of Joseph, Daniel, Mordecai etc all went extra-mile in their efforts to uphold the cause of God.
HIS FAVOUR IS FOR THE DILIGENT
The average human believes that greatness comes by hardwork, thus he remains average.
Ecclesiastics reveals to us that, ‘the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill‘.
In life, there must be a God-factor. Christians who do not understand this will always claim to be too busy to serve God.
Lastly, incorporate Kingdom Service into whatever engagement you’re doing. If you’re a student, preach to your colleagues. If you’re a trader, share Gospel trats and magazines along with goods to your customers.
1 Thess.5.14 – Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, SUPPORT THE WEAK, be patient toward all men.
Studies show that church attendance is gradually declining in America. Our youths are leaving the Church to join the streets – unfortunately, it seems like the Covid/lockdown magnified the situation.
With the Internet taking over as the global means of communication, it is important that as believers, we preserve the sacred custom of having fellowship with one another physically.
One of the most important benefits of having fellowship with the believers is that it strengthens us.
Paul reveals to us in 1 Corinthians 9:24, that Christianity is a race. In this race, there are those who have gone ahead of us; those who are with us and those behind us.
As we run, just as 2 Timothy reminds us, there are times one get weary. It’s not that such saint has fallen from faith, it’s just that he needs some words of encouragement to reinvigorate him to continue the race.
The Saint is in a battlefield constantly. It is either he is fighting against the antichrist system of the world, or he is fighting against the attempts of the flesh to lord over him.
This war requires strength and fortitude. This strength a lot of times cannot be generated by ourselves; it is gotten in fellowship with other folks of our faith.
This reminds me of the Vision Rick Joyner had. He said he saw believers striking themselves and the enemy was able to penetrate. He said he saw an army, so large and great and all the devil had to do was to poison the warriors against themselves. Immediately they started to hit themselves, the demons gained control.
A PLACE WHERE WE CAN BE STRENGTHENED
The communal Church is the strength of the saint.
A place where we can be strengthened is only in the midst of those who understand what we pass through.
A place where we can be strengthened is a place where we have people with the same goal, mission and hope as we do.
A place where we can be strengthened is a place where we see those who have gone far ahead of us and those we look up to – where they place their right hands on our shoulders and whisper to our ears, “You are stronger than you think”.
Statistics has shown that majority of those who end their lives abruptly, died out of hopelessness.
The Lord knew we would encounter these things, thus the need for fellowship.
A strong man remains strong because He is surrounded by Several other Strong men.
If we were sufficient alone, God wouldn’t have told Adam He needed Eve.
The Bible says, “Two are better than one, for one will sharpen the Countenance of His friend”.
IRON SHARPENS IRON
Having fellowship with other believers strengthens our faith. It makes us know we aren’t alone in this journey. It makes us strong when we feel weak.
The Church is where we find hope. The Church is where our decisions and determination is reinforced. The Church is where we are assured of His Glory and Presence.
If we ever think we can stand alone and do not need the House of Faith, then we have believed a lie.
If you want a coal to lose its flames, separate it from other coals. It may be producing and anchoring fire, but when separated, within minutes, the fire dies out.
So it is for the Saint. If we are separated from other coals, we will experience spiritual collapse. Stay with the Brethren.
A united Body cannot be easily intimidated.
Has your hand ever told you it doesn’t need your ear? Just imagine how it would look like if your body parts were dissembled.
You would be so weak that even a puppy would be able to intimidate you. But you are strong, complete and bold because your body parts are together. So is it when we’re in union with other saints. It makes it nearly impossible for the enemy to attack us.
it is a thing available to serve a specific purpose. Its level of importance is determined by how much value it has.
We can consider faith a tool; an instrument that is useful in diverse ways.
One may wonder what the uses are, not to worry, they are explained below:
1. Faith is A CURRENCY
Just like one accesses physical commodities with money, faith is used to accessing whatever is supernatural. Faith determines our response to things about God and His kingdom.
It is attached to everything we do in God’s Kingdom; our works and responsibility towards the purposes of God must be mingled with faith, else they will amount to naught.
2. It is an instrument used for GAINING ALIGNMENT
We tread the path of alignment on the strength of our faith in Christ. By faith, we believe in the finished work of Christ. Also, it always prone believers to action. When there’s faith, there are works, so faith validates our work and makes it pleasing unto God.
3. Faith serves as A PARAMETER
God has standards in his kingdom, and for them to be met, there are kingdom parameters that are used to measure our duties. One of these criteria is faith.
He checks not only our heart posture (the intents and purity-state of our heart) but also whether we are faithless.
A pure heart is not enough, God demands faith when we carry out actions. Apostle Paul understood this and so he exhorted the brethren in Rome, thus:
‘‘He that doubteth is damned if he eats because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin’’ Romans 14:23.
His teaching labels the‘ absence of faith’ as a sin. A faithless Christian is vulnerable to sin and attacks from the devil.
His deeds are questionable, not because he is not holy, but because his actions did not take a stance from faith.
Satan easily conquers such a Christian during trials because he does not believe in the word of God.
4. Faith is the FOUNDATION OF CHRISTIANITY
Salvation and holiness are gained only by faith. Salvation begins with complete faith towards the finished work of Christ (they include His crucifixion, death, resurrection, and ascension).
Christ sustains our salvation through our constant unwavering FAITH in Him.
Although sinful activities in the world make piety tough for the children of God, we can remain exceptional from the patterns of the world when our faith in Christ is consistent.
This is where we give due diligence in responding to the salvation we once received.
2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.
Walking by faith is a deliberate action, it is a conscious response to our new nature by carrying out the responsibility that is befitting of a born again.
It is on this basis that we grow in grace and the Knowledge of God’s word.
Our faith sets us on the advantage of becoming approved of God, both in words and deeds.
2 Peter 1:5-7: “And beside this, giving all diligence, ADD TO YOUR FAITH virtue; and virtue knowledge. And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity’’
Brethren, it all begins with our faith, we gain all these virtues as a bonus for exploring faith.
That’s amazing! The usefulness of faith has proved to be all-encompassing–just like have been stated earlier in the first series of this subject.
Stay with me as we unveil more sequels that faith holds for us.
The story of Joseph is one which is very common among us today – the story of how he was sold into slavery by his very own brothers, how his case deteriorated from slavery even into imprisonment, and how it finally ended with Joseph being on the throne.
We are very familiar with this story; but one thing many Christians do not realize is that they are actually having a re-experience of what Joseph experienced – that is, they are playing out the plot of Joseph’s story.
Joseph had a great dream of becoming a King. He was destined for greatness; he was destined for kingship and royalty. Joseph was a royal by destiny.
Like we do today, Joseph in his days had a dream of leading nations. In one of his dreams, he saw himself being the leader of ‘stars’.
In other words, Joseph was destined to be the leader of leaders and not mere men. This is the destiny of every child of God. You are born for nowhere else but the top.
The Cedar
Psalm 92:12 “The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.” (NKJV)
The Palm tree is a tree which is known for its strong and solid roots, bark as well as productivity.
When the Bible tells us that the righteous will flourish like it, it simply reveals to us that as believers, whether you are a Child, teenager, youth or adult, in every of your engagements, fruitfulness and productivity will be the output.
It means that things will only keep getting better in our lives and in our engagements. It means that as a believer, in your academics, you will be among the best. In the skill you’re acquiring or the trade you are doing, you will achieve immense success. This is the prophetic destiny of every child of God!
But what you must also know dear saint, is that there will be a time when what you see in your life seems to contradict what you see in God’s word; I call this ‘The Paradox of the Prophecy’. It is a season that every Saint who ever became great in life passed through.
God promised to make Abraham the father of many nations, yet, for many years Abraham never had even a child.
Isaac blessed Jacob with the blessing for greatness, yet, for more than 14 years Jacob lived as a poor servant serving a shrewd master and receiving very little money as his wage.
God anointed David through Samuel to be king over Israel, yet, for many years David wandered from wilderness to wilderness leading a pack of wild and hungry men.
God promised to take the children of Israel to a land flowing with milk and honey, yet, for many years they walked in the wilderness eating only a kind of food daily.
The list is innumerable. The reason you must know this is that success and greatness comes in seasons and phases; if you are in what seems to be a tough season now, do not write off your dreams!
This paradoxical season comes in many forms – in Joseph’s life, it came in the form of slavery and imprisonment.
How could the one who had the stars in the galaxies bowing before him become a servant boy in the house of Potiphar?
How could the one who had the prophecy of worldwide greatness become a prisoner dwelling in a prison with criminals, thieves, and strumpets?
I was thinking since he was destined for greatness, God would make queens his nursing mothers and the palace his playground; but we see the exact opposite.
This young teenager lost his mother at an early age and suffered severe antagonism and antipathy from his brothers.
Wasn’t he the royal one? Wasn’t he supposed to be loved and pampered since he had the brightest future? – but we see the exact opposite. Joseph grew up in the toughest of environments.
What does this reveal?
You are not alone! You are not the only one who is going through pain, intimidation and hardship inflicted by our nation’s system of education and economy.
Joseph also grew up knowing this pain; he also grew up receiving scorns and mockery from his older brothers. But the climax of the story is that he still became the noble that God destined him to be!
Look unto Joseph and be strengthened. He lived for years in a dungeon – an underground prison full of darkness and the most evil of criminals.
In the dungeon, you do not get good food; you do not wear good clothes; you do not get any encouragement or motivation; no one visits you in the dungeon – it is a place where you are left alone.
Does that sound like the condition you are in? Maybe you wish you were born in a very wealthy family; but you are living in a house or street full of dirt, immorality and ungodliness, do not despair, it’s only a paradoxical phase!
It is only a juxtaposition of the prophecy and the present. Or maybe all you’ve ever gotten is criticism even from your trusted ones; maybe you have no one to give you the love, acceptance and recognition that you crave for, look unto Joseph and be strengthened, he once went through the phase you’re going through today.
Great men are always alone, and great men are men who at adolescence or even childhood, were compelled to take responsibility for their lives and future by the harsh circumstances and battles of life.
Joseph was taken away from the comfort of his parents like many Christian youths these days are compelled to leave their families to learn a trade and fend for themselves due to lack.
But Joseph did not allow his circumstance to affect his grip on his prophecy. Even in the prison, Joseph saw himself as a leader and acted as one. Do not allow what you are going through affect your mood, rationality and self-esteem!
Be bold and confident of yourself! Be respectful and always look for a way to help those in your society!
Do not be intimidated by your peers who seem to have everything they wish for handed to them on a platter of gold! Neither should you be discouraged to think that your life will remain as it is now.
Hebrews 3:6: “…. Hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. (KJV)
Don’t lose Hope!
God is saying to you, hold unto the hope of a great end. Hold unto the promise of God in the scriptures that you will be the head and not the tail, above and not beneath.
Do not lose your confidence and courage! Keep serving God and devoting your time to Kingdom work, rejoice in hope that surely, you will sit on the throne that belongs to you.
KOINONIA ART 